Solids!

About a week ago we started PrincessIce on solids. We chose butternut as her first food as I’ve read that the baby cereals are loaded with sugar and don’t really have much nutritional value other than being fortified with iron.

She absolutely adores food! This baby can’t get enough! We have since incorporated the cereal into her diet, as well as sweet potato, carrots (the day mother’s doing) and milk tart (that was Rudi!). She eats so well, she doesn’t mess or spit out her food at all. She leans into the spoon for every bite and if you take too long to have the next spoon ready she gets upset! It is the cutest thing to behold. We started Babyice on solids at four months old and there seems to be a marked difference when waiting longer. PrincessIce really seemed more ready. I remember Babyice resisting a lot. He didn’t want any stuff in his mouth, what did we think we were doing? PrincessIce on the other hand has been staring longingly at me while I eat and took to eating like a duck to water. She even makes “chewing” motions with her mouth, despite there being nothing to chew. Practicing mommy!

I’m a bit weary of giving her Simba Flings chips though. We already know that Babyice is allergic to something in them and since allergies can run in families I wonder if we shouldn’t just skip them altogether. I suppose it wouldn’t be fair to give her and Babyice can’t have. I’m not sure if he has outgrown the allergy or not. I’m actually too scared to try and give him some. I know if he is still allergic it will result in a doctor’s visit. It is such a pity since Flings are the best baby chips ever. Cheese Curls are more or less the same, but they are ORANGE. Once they’ve been sucked to a sticky pulp and rubbed all over their clothes it is not a pretty sight. I’m not even sure if that fancy new (and expensive) stain removing washing powder will stand a chance.

So even though she isn’t yet managing to sit up on her own, she is a champion eater. I just knew that she would have a healthy appetite. I’m going kind of nuts with people saying that she mustn’t eat as much as she is because she is going to get fat. I’m a bit horrified actually. She is a 6 month old baby and already people are flinging remarks about body issues around. I mean, really. Baby fat is healthy fat. Once she starts crawling/walking she’ll lose her baby fat. It isn’t like we’re pumping her full of sweets and chocolates. We don’t add sugar or margarine or anything to her vegetables. Yes, she had a little milk tart ONCE, it’s not her staple diet. Even the day mother is in on it. I’ve had to tell her repeatedly I don’t mind if she gets fat BECAUSE SHE IS STILL A BABY. Perhaps if she was an older child I could understand their concern, but a 6 month old? Isn’t that a bit ridiculous? Am I being an oversensitive fatty? I must say I think the fact that she is a girl influences these remarks. Babyice was much chubbier at her age and I don’t once remember someone remarking on how much he eats or expressing “concern” that he would get fat. Society!

Time to adopt the sage parenting advice – Smile and nod.

Breastfeeding is still going well. PrincessIce seems to feed mainly at night nowadays and isn’t very interested in drinking during the day. Even when we get home after work, she is so easily distracted that she doesn’t drink much. It’s a little frustrating because I usually need a little relief myself after work, but she manages to take the edge off. I hope that her disinterest during the day isn’t a sign of her wanting to wean. I know that solids aren’t going to be her main source of nutrients until after she is at least 12 months old and I’m hoping that she isn’t starting to prefer the bottle/formula. I will continue to offer her feeds though. I have learnt that breastfeeding can take perseverance, so that is what I will do! I do also know that babies change their feeding patterns after mom is back at work and this may also be what has happened. I can’t even say for sure how much or how often she drinks at night, but it is more often than she used to. Because we co-sleep I often just give her a boob and drift back off to sleep myself. The only reason I know that she is waking up more often is because I alternate sides which involves me moving her on the bed.

Due to size limitations I can’t upload a video of her eating to this post. The shortest video I have is over 6 MB. My phone only takes HD videos. First world problems.